Ronaldo, Modric make World Cup history as football remembers Jota

Cristiano Ronaldo is set for another World Cup record when Portugal take on Croatia in their Round of 32 clash in Toronto today, with the occasion carrying added emotional weight as it coincides with the first death anniversary of Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.

Named captain in Portugal's starting XI at Toronto Stadium, Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup knockout match at 41 years and 147 days.

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His longtime Real Madrid teammate and Croatia captain Luka Modric moved into second on the list at 40 years and 296 days, with both players surpassing Bosnia and Herzegovina forward Edin Dzeko (40 years, 106 days), who had claimed the record only a day earlier against co-hosts USA.

Underlining their remarkable longevity, Ronaldo is making his sixth World Cup appearance, while Modric is featuring on football's biggest stage for the fifth time. Ronaldo is one of only three players to have played in six editions of the tournament, with Argentina's Lionel Messi and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa also reaching the milestone at this World Cup.

Ronaldo will also reach another landmark. Friday's match is his 26th World Cup appearance, taking him past Lothar Matthaeus into the second spot for total World Cup matches played, behind only Lionel Messi, who has played 29.

Ronaldo had already etched his name into the record books earlier in the tournament, becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup editions after netting twice in Portugal's 5-0 group-stage victory over Uzbekistan. The brace also took his World Cup tally to 10 goals, making him Portugal's outright leading scorer in the tournament after eclipsing the nine-goal tally set by Eusebio at the 1966 World Cup.

Meanwhile, for today's game, Portugal made one change to the side that started their final group stage game against Colombia, with Rafael Leao replacing Joao Felix in attack. Leao joined Ronaldo and Pedro Neto in the front three, while Croatia named an unchanged lineup following their 2-1 victory over Ghana.

The match is the first-ever World Cup meeting between Portugal and Croatia, with the winners set to face Spain in Dallas on Tuesday for a place in the quarterfinals.

While Ronaldo and Modric add another chapter to their extraordinary careers, the occasion carries a far deeper significance for Portugal.

When the match kicks off in Toronto, the date would still be July 2 in Canada. Back home in Portugal and in many parts of the world, however, it would already be July 3 -- exactly one year since the death of Jota.

Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash in northwestern Spain when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames, a tragedy that stunned the nation and sent shockwaves through the football world.

The timing of the match made the occasion even more poignant. As the game gets underway in Toronto, the clock will pass midnight in Portugal, with players and supporters alike certain to remember one of the country's most cherished footballers.

Jota's close friend Ruben Neves, who inherited his number 21 shirt for the national team, has been among those leading the tributes. Portugal's Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, also presented the squad with wristbands bearing Jota's name, which the players have vowed to wear throughout the tournament, including during training sessions.

Portugal will hope to honour Jota's memory in the most fitting way possible by defeating Croatia and booking a Round of 16 meeting with Spain. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has another personal milestone in sight, having never scored in a World Cup knockout match. 

On a night filled with history and emotion, the Portugal captain will be eager to end that wait and help his side mark the occasion with a victory worthy of Jota's memory.

Lineups

Portugal: Diogo Costa, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto.

Croatia: Dominik Livakovic, Josip Stanisic, Marin Pongracic, Josip Sutalo, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Nikola Vlasic, Martin Baturina, Petar Sucic, Ante Budimir, Ivan Perisic.